


Aino

by wavewright62



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: F/M, Pre-Canon, Prologue to the Prologue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-18 22:18:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9405434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wavewright62/pseuds/wavewright62
Summary: This is a story about some very ordinary people living in Mikkeli, Finland, in the present day.  There are two sisters named Aino and Kaino Hotakainen, and two banal vignettes from their very ordinary lives, separated by a few years.  Nothing really special about any of them, is there?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LooNEY_DAC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LooNEY_DAC/gifts).



> This is my first entry into LooNEY_DAC's alphabet challenge. As many alphabets do, it starts with A.   
> It was originally named "A is for Aino," but the thought of seeing all those stories lined up a few months from now "B is for" "C is for" filled me with H is for Horror.

Kaino pointed him out. “Aino, there he is again. DON’T LOOK,” the last hissed sotto voce.

“What? Where? How am I supposed to see who you mean if I don’t look?” Aino used the pretext of checking her hair in the mirror over the bar to scan the other patrons in the coffeeshop. Her pastel blue fringe was recently redone, and Aino adjusted its fall over her eyes minutely. Then she saw the young man Kaino had pointed out, sitting in one of the armchairs next to the fireplace. He was wearing a naval coat, a red scarf wrapped several times around his neck, and faded ripped jeans. He was peering intently at a tablet perched on his bony knees, swiping strokes on it with the pen and intermittently pausing to blow his nose. “Oh, him, he’s harmless, he’s in my digital design class.”

“Aino, don’t let him catch you looking,” Kaino cautioned. She ran a hand over her clipped hair before fiddling with one of her earrings. “I’m pretty sure he was staring at you until you turned around. He’s pretty cute, in a drippy sort of way.”

“Well then _you_ ask him out,” Aino snapped back. Seeing Kaino’s pained expression, she winked, “Okay, scrub that. You can ask if he has a sister and we’ll double date.” Kaino stuck out her tongue at her. Aino surreptitiously checked the mirror again. Kaino was right, he _was_ looking at her. She struggled to remember his name – Seppu, Salkku, Falko, something like that. Saku, that was it! She wouldn’t admit it to Kaino, but he was rather cute even if ‘drippy’ was unfortunately accurate.

As if on cue, Saku tucked away the digital pen and unfolded his lanky frame from the armchair. He made his way between the cafe tables toward the corner where Aino and Kaino were sitting. Blushing, Aino would not look at him, would not look at him, would not look at him... he went into the men’s room behind them.

Kaino snickered, and Aino glared at her before affecting a blasé expression and finishing her blueberry muffin. “Anyway,” Kaino grinned, “your ‘weather luck’ certainly isn’t working today. It’s raining from Esteri’s ass out there again.”

Aino sniffed and held her upturned nose a little higher. “I have no need for good weather today. I save my requests for when I need them.” She sipped her coffee and brushed the muffin crumbs into a tidy pile on the plate. “I also haven’t done the good deeds necessary to set myself in credit.” Kaino rolled her eyes but didn't refute her sister; after all she had seen the weather clear up against forecast more than once, when Aino wanted a good day for an outdoor event.

"Would you mind terribly if I pictured you as a salmon?"

Both women jumped, startled. Saku had come out of the men's room and was looking down at Aino nervously. "Your name is Aino, right?" Aino nodded, mouth agape. How had he managed to come up behind them so silently? "Sorry, I'm Saku, I'm in your design class," he fidgeted with the tablet. "I'm doing some illustrations from the Kalevala for the final project, and I thought I might use Aino's story. You know it, right?" Aino shook her head bemusedly, still staring up at Saku.

Kaino smiled inwardly, then invented a lame excuse about picking up drycleaning to leave them to it. Aino just barely managed to register her departure, let alone introduce her. Ah well, no point in being a third wheel. As she passed the front windows outside the coffeehouse, Kaino could see Saku showing Aino something on his tablet, but Aino was still staring at Saku.

÷÷÷÷÷÷

Aino picked at her muffin. Now that she’d been working at a restaurant, she always noticed details when in other restaurants. She used to live on the American-style blueberry muffins they served here. She’d gotten somewhat spoilt by Helmi’s white chocolate and lingonberry oat biscuits, and this just didn’t measure up to that standard. She seldom came to this coffeehouse anymore, even though it was just a short walk from her apartment, but Kaino insisted. She didn't want to meet Aino for coffee at Helmi's, knowing she wouldn't be able to restrain herself from getting up and helping, even if it was her day off. Aino sighed, knowing she would do that, too.

"I have to go to work tomorrow. Anu's mother has fallen ill with that flu that going around, and she's gone to go look after her. Helmi really needs me to help cover the lunch rush," Aino shrugged, ignoring Kaino's snort of derision. "And then maybe cover Anu on lunches for the rest of the week, too."

"You let that tyrant walk all over you. You're supposed to just kick back now and wait for the baby." Kaino chewed her bread thoughtfully. "They say this Rash thing is not just a normal flu, that this is a nasty one, and a strain that's not covered in this year's flu shots." She looked at Aino sharply. "Did you get a flu shot this year?"

"Oh no," Aino shook her head and laid a hand across her large bump, "not with the baby. I've been avoiding taking anything this whole time. And yes," she touched the mask around her neck as Kaino opened her mouth to interrupt, "I've been wearing the mask at work." They both nodded. "Which reminds me, I'd really rather not have to listen to Tuuli and her suggestions for weird protein shakes and that. Do we really have to go on this trip?"

Kaino nodded, "I know, trust me, I know. And _I_ don't want to hear her 'suggestions' on how to find a _man_ who will _appreciate_ me." Both sisters shuddered in their mutual distaste for their sister-in-law. Kaino shrugged and continued, "But, it's important to Eino to do this trip as a family, all of us. And you weren't supposed to be working anymore."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Aino collected her things to go, accepting Kaino's help to reach some of the bags that were awkward to reach with her large belly. "Pick me up just after the lunch rush, and then we'll swing around and get Saku and the bags, okay?" She frowned as she started to fumble with her purse.

"I'll pay the bill," Kaino said smoothly, "just head home and look after yourself. And Saku. Remember, he's more scared of Tuuli then you are, and Eino can't resist teasing him, either." She added, "And put your mask on already!"

Aino raised her chin. "Saku will get another job soon. He's really good, but he can't help it if he needs to use a lot of sick leave. We'll be fine." She put the mask on with an exaggerated gesture and lumbered away with a cheery "see you tomorrow."

Kaino watched her go, and swilled the last of her coffee in its cup. There would only be instant coffee on the boat, yuck. She would go along with Eino's scheme to get Aino and Saku in on the escape plan, but she still had some friends to say good-bye to before she left. She put on her mask, picked up the shopping bag left by her chair and smiled as she looked inside. This is such a super-cute frock, she congratulated herself, and off the clearance rack of summer clothes, too. It was a shame it was too late in the year to wear it. Who knew when she'd get to go shopping again?

Aino let herself in to the apartment, wrinkling her nose at the smell of fresh paint. She took off her mask and put away her shopping, then went back to see what Saku was up to. He was hanging out the open window of the nursery. He stood up woozily as she rushed over to him, and moaned, "The paint fumes are rather overwhelming. I had to open a window before they overpowered me." As Aino comforted him, he gestured at the walls, "but I finished the mural anyway."

Aino looked around, mesmerised as always by Saku's sheer talent. He'd created a mural of Kalevala stories stretching around the room, with Moomins cast in the various roles. She'd been a little skeptical when he proposed the idea, but had watched the development with interest. He must have outdone himself this morning while she was out; it was now all coloured in and finished. "It's amazing," she breathed, then after a moment, "and the room can air out while we're away next week."

Saku nodded morosely, "If the fumes don't kill me tonight as I sleep, yes." He smiled a wan smile at Aino. "You may be my Only One, but now this," he stroked her belly, "is just our First One. Our Ensi will know the stories, and all who follow after him or her." The baby kicked in Aino's belly. Saku stroked the spot, "I felt that one! You see? The baby knows its name already."

"I still haven't agreed to naming this baby Ensi," Aino laughed and laid her head on Saku's chest. "I mean, what if we don't have more than one?" She straightened up and sighed. "Come on, let's get packed for this trip."

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe Saku isn't quite so ordinary after all. Firstly, he gets Aino's attention despite using what may be the lamest pickup line ever. Secondly, casting Moomins in the Kalevala? What's up with that?


End file.
